


Grief

by DarkerThanDisney (Kairyn)



Series: Son of Jafar [11]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Isle of the Lost (Disney), Isle of the Lost Logic, Loss of Trust, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Post-Betrayal, Protective Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-01-25 08:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21353038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairyn/pseuds/DarkerThanDisney
Summary: Uma has gone and broken something. Now she's got to try and fix it. But she might have done a bit more damage than she expected.
Relationships: Harry Hook & Uma, Harry Hook/Jay, Hook Siblings
Series: Son of Jafar [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/988839
Comments: 24
Kudos: 80





	1. Denial

**Author's Note:**

> Don't mind me... just... not doing In the Rough because... reasons... and things....
> 
> And this is distracting me.
> 
> So, here's Uma... trying to rationalize stuff. Also writing the Hook Sisters because hell yes I need them in my life. Full disclosure I've never seen the animated Wicked World series soooo I'm basing C.J. on the images I found on the wiki and thaaaats sort of it.

Uma stared up at the lopsided tower of apartments uneasily. This... she was not looking forward to this. Her head was still throbbing from all the drinking the night before, and she was super glad that the clouds overhead were even thicker than normal. She really didn't want to deal with any amount of light. The funhouse stairs bouncing from side to side of the building had never seemed so long as it did when Uma didn't want to go up them. But she also knew she had to do it.

Uma blew out a long stream of air and crossed the trash-strewn street. She made sure to step around muddy puddles from someone emptying out something from the windows. Probably nothing good. Not all the apartments around here had plumbing, after all.

The wood creaked horribly as Uma stepped up onto the first stair. The next step was missing, so Uma gave a little jump to get over the gap. The whole walkway swayed a bit as she hurried up to the top of the leaning tower. A couple other walkways went around the tower since the apartments were mish-mashed together in a jumble wherever they could be. Meaning some doors were on strange levels or the other side or could only be reached through steep paths.

Uma's destination was near the very top. A bright red door with a spyglass jammed in the front, serving as peephole and a place to hang a sign that said 'turn round an jump.' Uma kind of really hoped that she wasn't about to be threatened and made to do that. There might be a way to survive as there were a few awnings below... but nothing that Uma wanted to stake her life on.

The daughter of Ursula pounded on the door and waited. There was a very long pause that made Uma worry quite a bit. But, she stayed because she _had_ to do this. 

Finally, after what had to be five agonizing minutes, the door opened. Uma wasn't even surprised to see the very unhappy look on Harriet Hook's face or that she had her sword in hand. "Uma."

"Harriet. Is he here?" Uma asked.

"Ya know he is, fish bitch," Harriet said. Uma only just managed to not wince. Usually, she got along pretty well with Harriet, but clearly, Harriet was well aware of what had happened, and Harriet was never one to be all that forgiving. That was why she didn't live on the Jolly Roger with the rest of her family in the first place. She hadn't forgiven her father for a laundry list of things, both big and small.

Uma made sure her posture was straight and her chin level with the ground. "I need to see him."

"Oh, do ya now?" Harriet said with false lightness. "Well, why didn' ya say so? Well, tha' changes e'erythin'! Ya gotta talk ta 'im!" There was so much sarcasm that Uma was surprised it didn't drip through the floorboards and make Harriet's downstairs neighbors complain. Harriet's smile fell. "Fuck off."

"Harriet, please! I've got to explain it to him," Uma said.

Harriet's pierced eyebrow went right up to her hairline. "Explain... fuckin' his man an' rubbin' his face in it... or explain lyin' ta 'im about his man not likin' 'im after all? Which one a them ya lookin' ta try an' explain?" Harriet asked in a tone somewhere between incredulous and almost amused. Her smile was back, and just like her brother's, it had a dangerous, unhinged edge to it. "Cause I gotta say... I'd _love_ ta hear either one o' them excuses."

Uma tried to keep her temper. "Listen... I had to do it," Uma said softly. "And I need to try and make him see why."

"Yeah, good luck with tha'," Harriet said with a snort. "Yer a selfish bitch an' ya should really go."

Before Uma could try and say something else, there was movement behind Harriet's shoulder. "Harriet?" The oldest of the Hook children turned enough that Uma saw the youngest, C.J., in the dark of the small apartment. C.J. stepped forward enough to see who it was, then her face turned dark. "Oh. I see," she said flatly.

Oh, lovely. Now both sisters were pissed at her. "Can I just talk to him?" Uma demanded. "I'm worried about him."

"Yer worried," C.J. repeated. "Yer the one what did it!"

"I know that!" Uma snapped. "I know I screwed up, alright! But I can't just do nothing. He's upset and... and I need to at least try!"

C.J. was leaning her hip against the doorjamb with her arms folded across her chest, looking very unimpressed, and Harriet had her sword resting on her shoulder right beside her. Uma could barely even see past them much less try and force her way inside. They were guarding every inch of the door. Like two very unhappy gargoyles. "Ya know he never shut up 'bout how great ya were," C.J. said with a deceptively mild tone of voice. C.J. always appeared to be the most stable of the siblings, but that was a good cover for how absolutely brutal she could be when crossed. "Always Uma this an' Uma tha'... never got it. _Really_ don' get it now."

"I was trying to protect him."

"The _other_ person tha' he never shut up about," C.J. said as if Uma hadn't said anything. "Was this guy... never said who he was... bu' he went on, an' on, an' fuckin' on, abou' how hot he was-"

"It was fuckin' annoyin'," Harriet chimed in.

"An' how he was great at fightin', an' all this other shit tha' I wasn' listenin' to," C.J. finished despite Harriet's interjection. "An' now... he's in the kitchen drinkin' himself stupid."

Uma did wince at that, not liking the mental image at all. "He was getting in too deep. It would have just hurt him."

"Well, when ya decide ta make it 'splode in his face... yeah. Yeah, it'll hurt," Harriet said, using an expression and tone that made it clear how stupid she thought Uma was.

"He would have been hurt worse if I'd let it go," Uma argued. She was absolutely convinced of that. She hated that she'd had to hurt her first mate to save him from himself, but nobody could tell Uma she was wrong. It would have ended in a fiery crash sooner or later. Later would have hurt worse, so she made it sooner.

"Yeah, sell tha' bullshit ta someone who'll believe it don' smell bad," Harriet said. "We ain't _stupid_, Uma."

Uma was trying her best to keep her temper. "I don't think you're stupid."

"Seems like ya do when yer here sellin' some line 'bout how ya were protectin' 'im when really ya were jus' bein' a jealous, possessive bitch," C.J. said in that same bland tone that somehow cut even worse than if she'd yelled it.

"I'm not jealous," Uma denied. She loved Harry, but not like that. And she might think Jay was hot (who on the Isle didn't?), but she couldn't stand his cocky attitude.

"Ya can' stand tha' someone other than jus' _you_ made him happy," C. J. said while jabbing a finger at Uma. "Ya couldn' hog 'im an' ya hated it... so ya wen' an' ruined it."

Uma pursed her lips tightly. That wasn't it at all. C.J. was wrong. Uma really had been looking out for Harry. "Is that what he thinks too?"

Harriet scoffed. "He ain' thinkin' much beyond 'where's some more rum?' righ' now," she said. "Much less why ya wen' an' did wha' ya did."

"_We_ ain't all heartbroken, though. Thinkin' jus' fine," C.J. said. "So ya should really get lost 'fore we throw ya over the railin', aye?"

Uma wasn't sure if the Hook sisters would carry out that threat, but she thought it was likely enough to not take the chance. Slowly she nodded and backed away to leave. She would come back after a day or two. Give Harry a chance to sober up and his sisters to cool their hooks.

Uma managed to wait two days. She still hadn't seen Harry, and hopefully, his sisters would at least let her try and talk to him this time. She made sure to watch her step as she approached Harriet's door. If the sisters really didn't want Uma coming close, they could have booby-trapped the walkway. C.J. was apparently a dab hand at traps, and Uma would prefer not find out if that rumor was true or not.

She knocked again and was forced to wait to see if she would get a response. This time, it wasn't as long a wait, but there was still a noticeable pause. Harriet was again the one that opened the door, her sleeveless red jacket and her somewhat lopsided hat decorated with gears, bits, and bobs were still on, so she must have just gotten home. Harriet didn't look surprised but exasperated. "I thought I told ya ta get lost," she said.

"You did," Uma confirmed. "But... please. It's been three days. Let me at least see him?"

Harriet's blue eyes a few shades darker than her brother's scanned over Uma's face. "Ya feel bad, Uma?" Uma pursed her lips but gave a short nod. She normally wouldn't have admitted it, but her pride wouldn't get her what she wanted here. "Ya worried 'bout 'im?"

Again Uma nodded. Harriet nodded a little as well. "Good." 

The door closed in Uma's face without so much as another word. Uma was surprised at the suddenness, but that turned to anger rapidly. "Fuck you, Harriet!" Uma yelled a bit more, although it was mostly incoherent curses at Harriet for being well... herself. Uma even went so far as to kick the door before turning away. She didn't go far as she still wanted to see Harry. Uma didn't know how she was going to fix this, but she was going to. Somehow.

Uma fumed by the railing as she looked out across the town. This was all Jay's fault. If he hadn't made Harry... feel things none of this would be happening. He should have stayed in his lane! Uma was right to break this up before something even worse had happened.

"Ya scuffed the door..."

Uma whipped around at the familiar -if slightly raspier than usual- voice of her first mate. "Harry!" She would have crossed those few steps and gone to him, but his appearance brought her up short. His eyes were bloodshot, and his coat was missing. He wasn't even wearing a shirt, and she could smell the rum on him from where she was standing. Harry's hair was clearly not brushed lately, and his whole posture was... off. Uma couldn't figure it out at first, but a second later, she realized he was hunched and closed off in a way he _never_ was around her. His arms were even crossed over his bare chest.

"Harriet's gonna make ya repaint her door..." Harry said with a half nod down at the spot Uma had kicked in anger.

Uma really couldn't give less of a shit about a door. "Harry... I came before-"

"I know," Harry said without unfolding his posture at all. "Re an' C.J. told me... Also says I should kick ya off the walk."

Uma winced slightly but nodded. "Yeah..." They had made their opinion very clear to her by this point. "But... I can't just let you think I was just being cruel, Harry." Harry looked more directly at Uma, and she felt herself falter slightly. Pushing past that, Uma continued, "he wasn't good for you, Harry."

"Tha' wasn' fer you ta decide, Uma," Harry said.

He almost choked on her name, and Uma felt something jab in her chest at the odd way he'd said it. Unfamiliar and unpleasant, she tried to ignore the feeling and how he had stumbled. "He was going to hurt you."

"Ya don' know tha'," Harry said, straightening a bit off the doorjamb and lowering his arms. "Ya don' know anythin'! Ya didn' bother ta find anythin' out 'bout us at all! Ya were my Captain bu' tha' don' mean ya get ta pick who I'm with!"

Uma physically recoiled. Were? That stabbing pain was back even more, and Uma swallowed hard to try and muscle past it. "What do you mean were, Harry? I didn't kick you out..."

"No," Harry said. "Bu' I ain't comin' back. I can'... I can' even wit you, Uma."

"Harry-"

"Go away. Find someone else's life ta ruin," Harry said before turning to go back into the house. The door slammed closed again, leaving Uma standing there in shock. 

There was... there was just no way that had actually happened. How... Harry didn't mean that. He was just still upset. Hadn't gotten Jay's ass out of his system. Yeah. He'd come around. Uma swallowed again and squared her shoulders. Well, she could wait for him to cool off. Just a few more days of self-pity and drowning his sorrows, and Harry would bounce back. Nothing kept him down for long. Uma was sure about it.


	2. Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Harry continues to not get over Jay... Uma gets pissed.

Uma was doing her best to not show her agitation. And was failing in pretty much every way. Her crew was giving her wider berth than normal, except for Gil, who was munching away on his free food happily and obliviously. Uma glowered at the television that was blathering on about being good again. As she gave the program the stink eye, she was digging her knife into a block of wood and ripping out splinters. The original thought had been to try carving something all artistic and shit, but that had lasted about ten minutes before Uma just focused on destruction instead.

"Where's Harry?" Gil asked through a mouth full of hard-boiled egg and mashed potatoes. "You said he'd be back today, and I haven't seen him at all. He's not sick, is he? 'Cause one time-" Gil swallowed his food loudly before continuing, "One time, Gaston Jr. and Gaston third held me under the bathwater for like a minute, and afterwards I had a fever and was coughing for a long time."

"He's not sick, Gil," Uma said as she ripped more splinters away with her knife. 

"That's good," Gil said. He shoveled more food into his mouth and chewed for about thirty seconds. "So, where is he then?"

"I'm mad at him," Uma said shortly.

"Oh..." Gil paused in his eating for a moment and looked troubled. "But you're never mad at Harry. What did he do?"

Uma slammed the piece of wood she'd been shredding onto the counter with her knife. "Gil... drop it."

Gil looked down at his food in confusion and the fork he was using. "... my fork?"

Uma sighed. "Not your fork."

"Then... what am I dropping?"

"Just- don't bring up Harry again, alright?" Uma said, trying her best to not snap at her third mate. Gil still looked confused but nodded. Uma was glad for that as -though she cared about Gil- he could grate on Uma from time to time. She tried her best to ignore it, but had come to depend on Harry recognizing when she was growing agitated and guiding Gil to something else.

Uma hadn't realized how often he'd done it until he wasn't anymore. Uma stabbed the block of wood in her hand angrily. It had been a week since she had slipped up and told Harry too much. She hadn't seen him at all except for that one time and, much to Uma's never-ending annoyance, Harry hadn't come out the last two times Uma had stopped by to try and talk to him. She had expected Harry to be _over it_ by now.

Sure, Uma freely admitted that Jay was a good lay. If she weren't feeling so uncharitable towards the Arabian, she might even use the word 'great,' but Harry was getting way too carried away. There were other exotic looking hotties around if he was really that addicted to caramel and cream. Heck, there were even one or two that would probably love to be even loosely associated with Uma's Warf Rats. But no. It was goddamn _Jay_ of all people that Harry was bent over.

The door to the shop swung open, and Uma glanced over her shoulder. She scowled at the sight of Harriet standing there with several of her strongest enforcers, Big Murph chief among them. Uma got up from her chair and stepped forward as Harriet sauntered in as if she was hot stuff. "What do you want?" Uma asked. All of her crew was there and watching, so Uma wasn't particularly scared. Even if Big Murph was there.

Harriet made a show of giving a very casual shrug. "Well, the place does supposed ta sell somethin' yer mother preten's is food," Harriet said as she picked a table and sat down. She kicked her feet up to rest on the edge as Big Murph found another chair right beside her, and her other lieutenants made a semi-circle. "So... serve me, Uma." 

Uma scoffed. "I don't have to do what you say."

"Sure ya do," Harriet said with a superior smirk that Uma really wanted to slap off her face. "Yer jus' a pitiful little bar wench, afta all."

There was an audible gasp, and Uma turned her knife in her hand. But, Big Murph was right there, and Uma couldn't stab Harriet without tangling with that brute. Like most gangs on the Isle, the muscle was always close at hand to back up the boss. Except currently, Uma's muscle was off fuck knew where being a lovesick idiot. "Get out," Uma ordered with a nod to the door.

Harriet was still grinning as she got to her feet and got close to Uma. Uma really hated how tall all the Hook kids were because Harriet was a good two inches taller than Uma. Meaning with how close they were, Uma was forced to look slightly up. "Make me... shrimpy."

Uma felt her temper immediately snap, and before she knew it, the whole restaurant was wrapped up in a brawl. Chairs and tables were bashed, and more than a little splattering of blood hit the floor. Uma herself was kind of ashamed to admit her head hit the counter pretty damn hard, and she blacked out for a minute.

When she came to, she saw Gil leaning over her. "Are you alright, Uma?"

Uma growled out a 'yes' as she pushed herself up. Her head was throbbing, and she felt something wet on the side of her face. A quick swipe of her hand told her it was blood. "Where's Harriet?" Uma demanded as she used her pants to clean her hand.

"They left," Gil said as he helped Uma up.

"That motherfucker," Uma growled in annoyance as she grabbed a nearby cloth from the counter to wipe her face.

Gil righted a nearby chair and tried to get Uma to sit, but she ignored that. "Why was she so mad anyway?" Gil asked. "Usually, Harriet's really nice..."

"Don't worry about it, Gil," Uma said as she kicked one of her crew in the side to get him up. She was pretty sure she did it lightly, but he did grunt as if she'd really smacked him hard. Pansy. "Get this place cleaned up!" she snapped.

What few customers that were in the place had fled during the fight, which meant that Ursula was going to be upset. None of them had paid. Uma stabbed her knife into the bar top, not caring about the divot she would leave behind. 

Annoyed with what had happened, Uma snapped out a few orders before storming up to her room and slamming the door shut. Nothing was going right! And it was for the stupidest reason! All this bullshit over a piece of ass! No ass should be fine enough to cause this much strife!

Harry needed to stop his moping and come back already! He could not have possibly _felt_ so much for _Jay_. Uma kicked and punched and tore at various things around her room, wishing that she had a better -fleshier- target for her anger. It just wasn't as satisfying kicking her dresser as it had been when she'd heard that smack of wood against flesh. Uma eyed the broken paddle that had been hanging on her wall. She really wished she had a chance to use that again. Jay really deserved it now after causing all this stupidity.

Uma would definitely find some way to pay that asshole back for ruining everything. Uma huffed and flopped down against her bed and glared at the ceiling. She knew she was in a foul mood and, to be honest, she had been for the whole day. She was just so pissed off that this entire situation was still going on. Uma should really go and drag Harry out of the apartment and put some sense into him. A bit of drinking and another whore should do it just fine. Not like there was really any shortage of cheap ass on the Isle.

But no... Harry had to be moping like a baby. Uma punched her bed in frustration. She loved Harry. He was the best First Mate any Captain could want, but honestly, he really needed to get over it already. Jay wasn't _that_ good a whore. Well, alright, Uma had liked him a lot but still. Nothing so special to be all drunk and pathetic over.

As Uma brooded, her temper continued to smolder and build on itself. She didn't really care if she was working herself up because none of this was even worth this much of a headache. Uma had been very patient waiting much longer than she really should have for Harry to come around. This whole thing just proved she was right to break it up in the first place. Who went all sobby over a hooker for a week? Honestly!

Uma pushed herself up from her bed with a huff. She was going to straighten this out. She was done waiting on Harry. She was the Captain, and she said enough was enough.

Uma grabbed her hat and shoved it on her head before leaving the shop. She didn't bother to tell any of the gang who called out to her anything. Not even Gil. Uma was going to fix this and straighten Harry out. Because, damn. This was stupid.

Her head was still throbbing, but it didn't seem to be bleeding at all as she stalked through the back streets and alleys to reach the tower of apartments that Harriet lived in. Nobody dared come anywhere near Uma since she was radiating pure wrath. As Uma stomped her way up the stairs and ramps, her foot plunged straight through the old wood. "God! Fuckin' damn it!" Uma continued to curse as she roughly ripped her foot back up through the hole, not caring that it scratched up her leg and ankle as she did so.

After reaching Harriet's door, Uma pounded hard against it with her fist. "Harry! Come out here already!" she shouted, not really caring if anyone heard her screaming at her First Mate. Normally she would. Uma liked to keep internal conflicts quiet to better provide a strong front. But Harry had gotten on her last nerve by still being here hiding behind his sisters.

When no answer came, Uma only got angrier. "Goddamn it, Harry! There are plenty of fuckin' whores! Stop crying over this one and get over it! He wasn't anything special!" There was still no answer, and Uma nearly flung her hat in anger. She pounded on the door again. "You're just proving me right, Harry! You never would have done shit like this before! He fucked with your head! Harry Hook, get your scrawny ass out here!"

Uma kicked the door hard, but still, there was no answer. She didn't even know if anyone was home. Uma assumed Harry was still being all weepy and pathetic in there, but not even C.J. or Harriet had shown up to answer her. He was fucking ignoring her. Uma just _knew_ he was. He was definitely in there being stupid. "Harry! Stop being a goddamn _Princess_ already!" She spat the word 'Princess' out with as much vitriol as possible -it was by far one of the worse insults one could fling out on the Isle.

"You know he was probably diseased as shit after being fucked so many times!" Uma added viciously. She didn't really care if what she said was true or if Harry got offended. Uma just wanted him to snap out of it. "Are you really going to get so bent over some fucker who spreads it for anyone with coin? Snap out of it already! It's not like he cared about you! Harry!"

Uma spent a solid fifteen minutes ranting and hitting the door, but nobody ever came to it. With a huff, Uma stormed back down the tower to go home. Stupid Harry. Now Uma needed to go find someone to beat. Maybe to force to walk the plank. Something. 

The rest of the night, Uma was an unholy terror through the docks. Her anger wasn't sated by any amount of destruction or chaos. Most people quickly got the message and ducked out of Uma's way, which didn't help in the least her desire to unleash hell.


	3. Bargaining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uma tries to convince Harry to come back with a few extra perks

Uma, after she calmed down, regretted ranting at a closed door. That would definitely not encourage Harry to come back. But, she had lost her temper that day in a way that she normally didn't. Uma tried her best to hold her anger in and get an act of sweeter revenge later on when whoever crossed her wasn't expecting it. A good plot was always a better way to go. That was what her Mother had always taught her, and Uma happened to agree. Everything planned out to hurt the worst was so delicious. But then Harriet came by and used that damn nickname and clocked Uma in the head and well... Uma went and lost it.

Maybe she should have handled things... differently. 

Okay, that was probably pretty obvious at this point.

She should have found some other way to get rid of Jay. Maybe she should have poisoned him or cut off his junk. Something that would have been more straightforward. Well, Harry would probably really hate that second thought, but the point remained. Uma had allowed her impulse to want to humiliate and punish Jay to get the better of her. If she had just come right out and killed him, none of this would be happening.

And then she went and lost her temper again. Once she got Harry talking to her again, Uma would definitely work on that. No more losing her temper. She would come up with schemes that didn't require her lying to her first mate. Not that Uma imagined she'd need to lie to Harry after this.

Uma scowled at the steely grey waves as she stood on the roof of one of the houses near the Jolly Roger. Finding Harry around the pirate ship was a long shot, but she didn't really have any other choices. She could go back to Harriet's place, but, honestly, Uma didn't see much changing on that front. They hadn't opened the door to her since that last time, and if she pissed off the Hook sisters _too_ much in coming by, they might do more than just cause a minor scuffle in the shop. Considering how many extra chores Uma got from her Mother for that, she wasn't in a hurry to get a repeat visit. But, she wouldn't spot Harry in the water, so she tore her eyes away to look down at the ground instead.

Down below in the streets, Uma kept an eye peeled for a bright red jacket. She leaned up against the side of the toppled mast as she watched the crowd intently. Mentally she wracked her brain for anything she could do or say to make Harry come back. Surely there had to be something. She had known Harry for years. Uma knew that there would be an answer.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot that Harry _wanted_. That was usually a good thing as that meant Harry didn't take bribes to leave people alone -aside from the money racket tasks that Uma gave him, but that was different. Other gangs couldn't get him to back off or turned against Uma if he had limited desires. Well, apparently, an Arabian ass was the one exception, Uma thought bitterly. 

It was almost too bad that Harry was already Uma's first mate. Offering him a promotion to that post would have probably been tempting enough for Harry to listen to what Uma had to say. But, he already was her first mate. Plus, he had said something about not coming back. Uma didn't take him too seriously, but that did seem to mean that he'd be more stubborn than ever before. Harry didn't care for money too much, so that wouldn't get Uma anywhere. Maybe some booze?

Uma hummed thoughtfully. If it was some really nice booze, then that might get Harry talking. It was certainly worth a shot, she figured. Especially if Harry really was drinking as much as his sisters said. Harry's favorite alcohol was rum. Probably because he'd been drinking it since forever, and that was what Hook senior drank. Harry's favorite rum was some stuff made just down the street at Benny's Brews.

Well, definitely a better angle then just hoping Harry gets over it. Uma carefully climbed off the roof. She still kept her eyes peeled as she made her way down the street until she reached the ramshackle building squeezed between two better-built ones. Uma pushed the door open and eyed the different bottles of booze scattered around the shop with little tags hanging on the necks of each one. Benny, a pirate with a nasty scar along his jaw and beady little eyes, looked right at Uma. "Whaddya want?" he all but growled.

Uma ignored him for a minute as she glanced at the different mix-match of bottles. They were all different shapes and sizes and colors. That happened when reusing bottles was the only way to get more. Most shops even had a turn in policy to make sure someone brought the honestly pretty expensive containers back. Uma glanced over the selection again before picking up a larger bottle with a blue tint to it.

Putting it down in front of Benny, Uma just raised her eyebrow at him. Benny narrowed his own eyes before nodding and telling her the price. Uma instantly switched over to haggle mode. Haggling was an art form on the Isle and Uma was pretty damn good at it, if she did say so herself. Had to be when her mom couldn't leave their shop due to... tentacle issues.

She ended up paying a little more for the bottle than she'd really wanted to but did get it and left to go see if she could find Harry. Uma wandered down the road with her purchase held tight in her hand. She noticed more than one set of eyes following her progress, but she wasn't about to let her guard down.

Uma tried to figure out where else she might be able to go to get in touch with Harry. Preferably without his sisters around. Uma wandered around the docks for a while but didn't spot Harry anywhere. Eventually, she had to go back to the chip shop, but she would go out later and look for Harry again.

After two days, Uma finally caught sight of Harry out and about. He looked... bad. Not as bad as before, but not much improved. Harry _still_ wasn't wearing his coat, which made him look... smaller and somehow just so very wrong. Harry always wore that coat and yet Uma hadn't seen a single thread of the garment that Uma had given him the whole time. Plus, he had a strange slump to his shoulders as he walked and still gave off a very unpleasant aura, so nobody got anywhere close. Uma hurried after him, glad that she had the bottle in her coat pocket. The bottle made the coat awkward to wear, but at least it was better than carrying it in her hand the whole time.

Harry went down a side alley, and Uma followed. She was just about to call out when she entered the darker area, but Harry was not there. Uma frowned and glanced around. How could Harry have disappeared so fast? It took a few seconds, but then Uma spotted Harry climbing the fire escape and disappearing over the edge to get onto the roof.

Uma scrambled up a pile of boxes to make the short jump up to the fire escape and then hauled herself up. Hopefully, Harry wasn't _going_ anywhere, and Uma would actually get a chance to talk with him. She knew if she could just really get Harry to _listen_ to her, then this whole thing would be cleared up.

The fire escape was a bit slippery, and Uma hadn't expected that. She nearly fell off the damn thing a few times but managed to catch herself. Not helping matters was that the metal of the fire escape was bent and twisted in several spots for some reason. Harry must have used this thing countless times to be able to get up it so easily.

When Uma climbed up onto the roof, she spotted Harry instantly. He was sprawled out on a trashy old couch that probably should be burned. Uma almost expected to see Harry like that. But she definitely hadn't expected to see him with his pants open, and his hand occupied. Uma wasn't a prude, but considering everything that had... happened, figured it was best to not look too closely. She cleared her throat loudly to be heard over the noises. "Harry."

"Shit! Wha' the hell, Uma?" Harry demanded as he shoved himself into his pants and sat up. He fumbled with his fly as he glared.

"Relax, Harry, it's not like I've never seen your junk before," Uma pointed out. During hot summer days and nights, the gang would often trek into the jungle to a little lagoon, and clothes often got lost. A couple risque situations had broken out. Plus, Uma had seen Jay sucking on it, but she wasn't going to bring that up.

Harry continued to glare. "Whaddya want?" he asked. "I'm busy."

"Yeah, I see that," Uma drawled. "Tell me you aren't thinking about who I think you're thinking about..."

"It ain't yer business," Harry said.

Uma sighed in exasperation. "Harry. They fuckin' left," she said. She jabbed her finger in the direction of the mainland. "They're over there playin' like they're some goodie goodies and left all of us here to rot! Even if I hadn't done anything, he still would have left you, Harry!"

Harry stood up. "Uma. Don't."

"Don't what?" Uma demanded. "Tell the truth? You were all upset when I lied before. Face it, Harry, nothing good was ever going to come out of it, and you know it!"

Harry's face twisted up, and Uma noticed how he was looking scruffier than normal with his eyes bloodshot. She felt a pang go through her chest but did her best to ignore the sensation. "I don' think yer righ'," Harry said in a soft voice. "It ain' addin' up... 'bout them goin' there... somethin's goin' on..."

"Yeah, they're selling out to get fancy clothes and shit," Uma said firmly. "And I didn't do that."

"He wouldn' o' gone if ya hadn' done it," Harry said.

Uma scoffed. "That's bullshit, Harry, and you know it. If Jafar told him to cut your balls off, he'd do it," Uma said. "He's Jafar's little bitch, and you're not even on the top three things he cares about," she said with that angry venom beginning to seep into her tone again.

"Ya don' know wha' yer talkin' about," Harry said.

"He lets his dad whore him out, Harry," Uma said in exasperation. Big, strong, tough gangster Jay couldn't even stand up to his spindly father to save his own ass a pounding.

Harry's eyes flashed, and Uma almost thought Harry was about to hit her. His hands even clenched, but he didn't. "It ain't tha' simple. Ya know it ain't ever tha' damn simple."

Uma met Harry's glare before sighing. Maybe Harry had a point. Plus, this probably wouldn't get Harry to come around. "Why are you so bent on him anyway, Harry? What's so special about him?" 

"I ain't talkin' abou' tha' with you," Harry said as he turned and started walking. He stopped at the edge of the roof. "Ya wouldn' ever understand..."

Uma wanted to argue that she absolutely would understand but held back. There was no way Harry would believe her. So, she decided to switch tactics. Uma made her way over to where Harry was standing and pulled the bottle out. She held it out to him without a word. They both knew what it was. 

At first, Harry didn't do or say anything. Uma just waited, and finally, Harry huffed and snatched the bottle to yank the wax seal off of it and take a swig. He only took a short one before pulling back. Harry looked over at Uma as he swallowed his mouthful. "This's from Benny's..."

"Course," Uma said. "It's your favorite."

Harry stared for another minute before scoffing. "Now yer bribin' me..." he muttered, but that didn't stop him from taking another drink.

They stood there in silence as Harry drank, and Uma stared at nothing in particular. "... you're not really going to quit, are you?" Uma asked, finally. She couldn't bring herself to look at Harry, but she didn't need to. She knew him well enough to imagine the expression on his face. Probably annoyed and agitated and hurt buried deep beneath the others. 

"Said I would, didn' I?" Harry asked back.

"Harry, what the hell else are you going to do?" Uma asked. She looked over at him and saw Harry staring out across the streets as she had been doing moments before.

Harry shrugged and took another swig. "Don' know. Don' care," Harry said. "Maybe I'll go an' join Re or somethin'."

Uma felt instant hatred at that idea. Harry couldn't just go and join someone else's gang! Definitely not someone who had just caused Uma so much trouble! "I wouldn't think you'd be able to stand your sister that long," she said instead of the more venomous thoughts that had immediately popped in her head. While Harry loved his sisters, and Uma knew he did, the three of them rarely were able to spend extended periods of time together before _something_ got them yelling at each other. This whole situation with Jay was an anomaly.

Harry shrugged again. "I'd deal."

"Harry don't do that," Uma said. "You're _my_ first mate. You've always been ever since we first met. Nobody gets you like I do."

"Jay did," Harry said quietly. 

Uma really wanted to yell that there was no way that Jay of all people understood Harry like Uma did. But she needed Harry to be less angry so that he would come back. "... would you really want to take orders from anyone but me, Harry?"

There was a very long span of time between them where only the chaos of the market below could be heard. "... no," Harry whispered finally. Uma felt triumphant for a moment before Harry continued, "Bu' I don' know if I can trust ya anymore, Uma." 

That dug deep into her chest in a way she wasn't expecting in the least. "What if I swear to not do it again?" Uma asked. "Fuck whoever you want, Harry."

Harry gave a chuckle, but it was oddly sad in a way that definitely didn't fit him. "An' how the hell does tha' help me now?" Harry asked. "He's gone."

"You'll find someone else," Uma said. "You're great, Harry."

"Fuck, Uma... ya know tha' ain't true," Harry said.

Uma scowled at him. "It is true. Why do you always do that? People like you."

"People's afraid o' me. Ain't even close ta the same," Harry said before lifting his bottle again. He swallowed loudly and wiped his mouth with the back of his free hand. "Bu' he wasn'. Not once... I nearly tore his throat out so many times an' he didn' never flinch one time. Ya really think I'mma find someone else like tha'?"

"Sure," Uma said instantly. "You're hot as fuck and strong and..." Uma broke off when she saw Harry shaking his head.

"I don' wanna jus' be someone hot, Uma," Harry said. "I ain't gonna be someone's booty call tha' they can' even be 'round 'less we're fuckin'. I can'... I hate when all people do's imagine me naked... Perverts," he grumbled with more venom than seemed necessary.

Uma frowned, but this wasn't exactly the first time she'd heard this from Harry. He had a very odd (non-Isle-like) aversion to people telling him he was sexy or attractive. At least some people. He accepted it from Uma and a few others, she assumed he'd let the one he was fucking tell him that, but the vast majority of people would get punched in the mouth for such comments. Uma couldn't find anything that triggered the violent reaction for sure. A touch would definitely do it, but sometimes there wasn't any sort of contact, and Harry would still snap. The whole thing was confusing, and Harry steadfastly refused to explain it to Uma. Harry had said once that he'd been able to tell when someone looked at him when they were mentally undressing him and that it made his skin crawl, but then he'd run off, and Uma had no idea where he'd gone for the rest of the night. Although maybe now she did...

"I swear, Harry, I won't get in the way again," Uma said. "Whoever you want... off-limits. Captain's honor."

"... I want Jay," Harry said. "Bu' I ain't gonna get 'im now."

Uma shifted uncomfortably. "... Don't leave, Harry. I know I can't _fix_ this just by saying some words. But I'll owe you so much, Harry. I _do_ owe you. You come back you'll have as much as you can eat or drink, free reign over where you go and what you do, and you can fuck whoever you want." It was a painful bargain to make. Uma hated giving up control, but she would hate losing Harry even more.

Harry looked over at Uma again, and his eyes looked so pained it physically hurt Uma to see. "... I'd like tha'," he said. "Bu'... I can'... I can' trust ya, Uma... an' ya can' follow a Cap'n ya don' trust."

"Harry-"

"Whaddya want from me, Uma?" Harry asked. "Ya lied ta me! Ya lied an' 'cause o' tha' I... I..." Harry swallowed hard. "I made it hurt..." he said in a strangled voice. "On purpose, I made it hurt..."

Uma was lost for a moment before her eyes widened in surprise. "You... that wasn't your fault, though."

"Course it was!" Harry snapped. "I knew wha' I was doin'. I did it 'cause I was mad. I knew how ta be a monster an' I was... an' he ain't gonna forgive tha'. So, why the hell should I forgive ya? Cause you'll buy me some rum?" Harry scoffed, but it sounded strange. Halfway between a hysterical laugh and a sound that was oddly like a sob, but Uma had never heard that noise before from Harry, so it was bewildering. "Tha's weak, Uma. Real weak... Save yer money... I can' get me own damn rum."

Harry pushed the mostly drank bottle into Uma's hands as he turned and walked past. Uma stunned and could only stare as Harry climbed over the side of the roof and disappeared down, she presumed the fire escape. An odd shaking slipped through her body, and without much thought, she lifted the bottle and drained the last of it. That talk had not gone as well as she had wanted it to.


	4. Depression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uma finds herself in her own pit after the confrontation on the roof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter but Depression isn't a thrilling topic to write about. Only so many times you can say certain things before it gets frustratingly redundant.

Harry had never done anything like this before. He was the most loyal person that Uma had ever met. She could always count on Harry to come through for her if nobody else. And now... nothing.

Uma laid across her bed and stared up at the ceiling beams as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world. Though her eyes were fixed, she wasn't really looking at the bits of wood. Her mind was wandering back and forth between the things Harry had said and done since the whole confession debacle. Never in a million years would she have thought that anything could have come between Harry and Uma. Especially not some... guy.

After the confrontation with Harry, Uma had gone back home and raided the liquor cabinet in the kitchen. It was kept there for pirates who were willing to shell out for a mug of watered down rum or beer. Uma hadn't bothered to water it down. Instead she had downed it straight and curled up in bed to try and process everything. There she had stayed as much as possible for the past two days. She wasn't making much progress in the thinking through things as her thoughts were going in drunken circles and she found herself fighting stupid emotions that she tried to never feel. Uma had to fight back _tears_ of all ridiculous things several times. Uma never cried and yet she'd felt on the very verge of it way too often.

Uma rolled onto her side and pulled one saggy pillow close to wrap herself around it. Of all the people that she would have expected to abandon her, Harry was never supposed to be one. Harry was her _first mate_ they'd been together for years. Ever since she had found him bleeding in the back alley.

Uma buried her face in the end of the pillow as her eyes burned again. Nobody should be able to do this to her. Not even Harry. Uma didn't have these sorts of reactions over anybody.

Time ticked by as Uma laid there. Occasionally she would drift off to sleep for a while just to wake up and drink something or stare at nothing again until she went back to sleep. Ursula made Uma get up to do her shifts in the shop and a few chores but other than that Uma stayed up in her room. There at least she didn't have to deal with people.

Uma wasn't sure how long she'd been in bed when she heard her door open. "Uma?" Gil's uncertain voice called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Gil," Uma said back. She really didn't want to deal with Gil right now. He would likely just piss her off and she was too tired by everything to be angry right then. 

The door closed again but Gil clearly didn't leave as she heard him walking across the attic. "Go away, Gil," Uma said as she buried her face more into her pillow. She was not going to do this. _Explaining_ anything to Gil just seemed too daunting of a prospect. Double so if he was here about the Harry situation.

The bed dipped as Gil sat on the edge. Uma kicked out at him but all she felt was air. Kicking again seemed like too much effort so Uma rolled away instead. "Go. Away."

"Are you okay?" Gil asked.

"Perfect."

There was a moment of awkward silence. "... Harry's really upset too," Gil finally said.

It took a moment to process that before Uma shot up. "You talked to Harry?" she demanded. Gil blinked a few times, seemingly a bit surprised by her sudden move. Uma couldn't help it, though, getting Harry to talk to her had been like pulling teeth. Why did Harry let Gil talk to him and not her?! Gil didn't know anything about what happened! Gil hadn't even known that Harry was fucking Jay! "When did you talk to him?!"

"Yesterday, and a couple days before that, and then a couple days before that," Gil said. "But he wasn't really saying a lot. He was really drunk... Especially that first time. But yesterday he seemed a bit better and said he couldn't come back."

Uma huffed and let herself flop down to the bed again. "He could come back," she said. "... I want him back." She probably shouldn't admit to that but this was Gil and not too many people took what he said seriously. Uma had learned to listen to Gil over years of knowing him but the vast majority of people never figured out that Gil knew more than most assumed. He often didn't understand or piece things together until way after he should but he was one of the most observant people Uma had on hand. If Gaston hadn't hurt him so bad... Uma put all that out of her mind. There wasn't anything to do about that.

There was another long stretch of silence. "Uma... Harry really, really liked him..." Gil said finally.

Uma closed her eyes after a minute and then sighed. "... I know."

She wasn't even going to bother to wonder why Harry had told Gil about who he had been sleeping with. It didn't make much difference anymore. Gil sighed and shifted on Uma's bed. Then there was warmth against her back and she realized Gil had laid down with her, although it felt like he was facing the other direction with their backs just barely brushing. "Do you know why?" Uma asked. No matter how she wracked her brain Uma just couldn't figure that part out. Why _Jay_ of all people?

"Harry said it was because they both knew what it felt like," Gil said.

Uma frowned. "What what felt like?"

Gil shrugged. "Harry wouldn't say."

Uma wasn't sure she liked what she'd heard but without any other information she couldn't be positive that it was something to freak out about either. Instead, she tightened her hold on her pillow and tried yet again to get a grip. After a little while, Uma brushed the tears off her face with the pillow in her arms. "Go get me a drink, Gil."

"What kind of drink?"

"I don't care. Just grab a bottle from the cupboard," Uma said with an annoyed sigh. She didn't have the patience to explain what should be obvious to him.

"Are you sure? You've kind of had a lot," Gil said.

Uma suppressed the urge to throttle her third mate. "Gil! Just go get it!"

"Alright, alright," Gil said as he popped off her bed to go back downstairs. "As bad as Harry," he muttered to himself.

Uma ignored him. So what if she was drinking a bit. What else was she supposed to do anyway? All she really felt like doing was curling up and sleeping off the entire horrible situation. That was easier to do with a bit of extra alcohol in her system, that's all. Besides, she couldn't think of anything else that could possibly fix this situation.

Tears built in her eyes again at that very unpleasant fact. Uma buried her face in her pillow. Everything was just the worst. Uma had never thought anything could lead to things being this bad. And yet, here she was. One crazy hook-wielding pirate down.


	5. Acceptance

The days were both long and obnoxiously short somehow. Uma wasn't sure how that happened, but it did. One minute she'd be staring at the clock, and it wouldn't move the next she felt as if she looked away for just a second and it was hours later. It was incredibly frustrating, and Uma wished it would stop.

After a few of those impossible days, Uma had to reluctantly admit that she might have to... not push it. Harry had been clear that he didn't want to come back. And Uma _needed_ a first mate. Perhaps she could promote Gil? Uma instantly shied away from the idea. Not that she didn't like Gil but... but he wasn't Harry. Nobody that Uma could think of would ever be able to live up to that standard. Perhaps she should just try and make do without a first mate. It would be hard but surely not impossible. First Mate was Harry's job, and she couldn't just replace him so casually.

But, Uma didn't know anything else to try that would have any better shot at getting Harry to come back to her. He hadn't been impressed with any of her attempts so far. What few other options she could manage to think of were getting more and more pathetic. Uma didn't want to admit it, but she might have screwed herself over pretty hard with this one.

One day the constant storm up above the island had decided to be more annoying than usual. The whole town was covered in a soupy mist that made theft a whole lot easier but left everything feeling damp and more mildew laden than it already did. Even metal felt like a waterlogged sponge somehow. Because of the miserable atmosphere, not too many people dared to venture out. Those that did go out, stayed close to trashcan fires or under a few extra layers to keep the damp chill out.

Uma didn't really mind. She was descendant from the sea, so fog and ocean spray were just as fine as sunshine. Well, she supposed that. Uma had never felt sun to know for sure. There was far less to do, though. 

Without many customers around, Ursula had kicked Uma out to go run errands instead. Uma had immediately ditched that idea for something more entertaining. At first, she had found some amusement by defacing some of Mal's graffiti. That didn't keep her too busy for long, though, since quite a few of her little lackeys came crawling out of the woodwork to stop Uma from doing it. So, not really looking for a fight, Uma wandered towards the water. The ocean had always been a soothing force for Uma. Even when it was raging and threatening to pull parts of the Isle down to the depths.

That day the ocean wasn't raging per se, but it wasn't calm either. The only real 'beach' that had any stretch of sand at all was a bit down the coast and tucked back where it was sheltered by several large craggy cliffs. It wasn't even a quarter-mile long, but Uma enjoyed trolling it from time to time. Very few people went out to it since it did have an unfortunate habit of getting very strong riptides and hightide sent the ocean almost to the rock face. But Uma knew how to handle tidal forces and wasn't in the least intimidated.

Uma was trudging along the beach aimlessly, kicking at bits of driftwood and slime-covered seaweed that littered the sand. Now that the tide had gone out, it left lots of debris behind. As Uma wandered, so did her thoughts. She didn't want to try and explain to Gil, or any of the others, that Harry (despite what Uma claimed repeatedly) probably wasn't coming back to them. Uma hated admitting that she was wrong. But she had definitely made a misstep or two in dealing with the situation.

"Yer not stalkin' me, are ya?"

Uma stopped and looked up from the sand to see Harry standing there, looking less than pleased. He must have been out on the beach for a while. The grey mist from the ocean had dampened his hair, while bits of skin was pink and chapped from wind. "Harry. No... I didn't know you were out here," Uma said. "I was just... out for a walk." That sounded lame even in her head, and that was probably because it was the truth. 

Harry hummed a bit and lifted a bottle. "You still living with Harriet?" Uma asked after an awkward moment.

"Does it matter?" Harry asked back.

"... Guess not," Uma said, trying to not cringe. This was awkward, and she didn't know what to say. She hadn't thought she'd bump into Harry like this. Maybe she should have -since they both were fond of being near the water- but it hadn't been on Uma's mind in the least. "Look, Harry..." Uma let the sentence drift off when she realized she still didn't know what to say.

Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Look a' wha'?" he asked.

Uma hesitated for a moment and then sighed. She had best just get it over with. "I... I know I messed up," she said. "I should have done something else inste-"

"Ya shoulda asked me wha' was up," Harry said.

"Because you would have told me the truth?" Uma shot back instantly. Harry pursed his lips together but didn't answer that. They both knew he wouldn't have. Uma sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I'm... I'm sorry that everything went so bad between you two," Uma said although the words felt like acid on her tongue. She had never in her life said 'sorry' before. She immediately hated it.

Harry's eyes widened, also very clearly surprised. "I knew it would hurt you, but I figured if I hurt you now, it was better than Jay hurting you worse later," Uma said quickly.

"Has tha' excuse ever worked?" Harry asked.

Uma felt her cheeks heating. "You weren't supposed to know I did it," Uma muttered.

"Because tha' makes it better!?"

"No," Uma said. "But that's why I thought it was the best thing..." It was selfish of her, she knew that. But never had that been a problem before. Harry would have been hurt the least and gotten angry with someone Uma didn't even like. There had been no downside... at least until she had gotten too loose with her tongue after drinking, that is. "And I still think it's for the best that it ended between you two."

Harry shifted his weight, and Uma was a bit worried that he was going to throw a punch, but he didn't. "Ya shouldn' a done anythin'," Harry said.

Uma was quiet for a moment and then nodded. "Maybe not... and I'm sorry that I hurt you so bad." Sorry still was a weird word, but Uma was fairly sure that she had to say it. Harry probably didn't care, but Uma felt ever so slightly better to have said it. She didn't know why that was and didn't bother to examine the phenomena too carefully. "We've been together a long time, Harry. Longer than anyone. I couldn't just let you get pulled away or hurt by him."

"Tha' shoulda jus' told ya more ta nah do it," Harry argued. "We been togetha so long ya should trust me."

"I _do_ trust you!" Uma said. "I trust you more than anyone. It was him I didn't trust! Jay works for Mal. How can I possibly believe that he wasn't trying to hurt you or use you?" Uma asked. "I know you, Harry. We've had _years_ together. You wouldn't have been sleeping with him at all if you weren't already getting way too close."

Harry shook his head. "Tha's bullshit," Harry said. "Ya were always top o' the list."

Uma wanted to argue that since Harry had run off to see Jay multiple times when he really shouldn't have from what Uma could tell. But Harry was clearly getting agitated with her again. The last thing that Uma wanted was to have a shouting match with Harry on the beach. "I just couldn't sit back and let my oldest, best friend do something I thought would hurt him," Uma said. "And I'm sorry that I only made everything worse."

Harry scoffed a little bit. Uma thought for a moment that Harry would say something, but then he just turned and walked off. Uma wasn't really surprised but was still mildly disappointed. She watched him walk off into the grey for several minutes before turning to head back home. She didn't really want to walk on the beach anymore.

Several days later, Uma was dropping several plates of slightly soggy fish strips onto a table when the door to the shop swung open. There were quite a few calls and cheers, so Uma looked up. She was more than a little surprised to see Harry standing there. He was smirking and had a gleam in his eyes. The red coat that Uma hadn't seen him wear since this whole mess began was again present, and his hook was hanging from his hip. Harry shouted out a few insults to some of the pirates as he sauntered into the shop. Though he seemed casual enough, Uma knew him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders and hands. The gleam in his eyes wasn't pure maniacal enjoyment like it usually was.

"Harry!" Gil practically hopped over to the other pirate. "Where have you been? We've been worried!"

"Been, 'round," Harry said dismissively. "Go get me somethin' ta eat, Gil," Harry said with a light shove to Gil's shoulder. The son of Gaston was only too happy to prance off to do what his friend said.

Harry stopped in front of Uma with a table between them. "Uma."

"Harry," Uma said. She wasn't sure what was going on. She had been convinced that he wasn't coming back.

"This don' mean I forgive ya," Harry said, low enough for his voice to not carry. "Bu' I miss it."

Uma put the tray down on the table. "Miss what?"

Harry jerked his head to the side a little. "The fightin'... an' the crew," Harry said. Uma nodded and looked over at the group of pirates that were already in better spirits than they had been in weeks. Gil was piling way too much food on a plate for Harry. "... an' you," Harry added softly.

Uma looked back quickly. Harry wasn't smiling, and Uma wasn't sure exactly how excited she should be. Harry shrugged a little. "I'm still mad at ya... bu' tha' don' mean I don' miss ya," he said. "Bu' if ya even _think_ abou' doin' somethin' like tha' again-"

"I won't," Uma said before he could vocalize the threat. 

"Ya were righ'," Harry said. Uma cocked her head to the side, not sure what he was referring to. She doubted he meant driving a wedge between him and his lover. "We known each other a long time," Harry said. "Bu' I don' think we know each other as well as we though' we did."

Uma couldn't think of anything to say before Gil came back over with his pile of food. "Here ya go, Harry!" Gil said happily. "I got some of everything."

Harry grabbed the plate and turned Gil around. "Yeah, I see tha'," he said. He didn't sound terribly impressed. "Ya know I don' like squid, ya weirdo," Harry said as they walked off to sit at their usual spots. Gil grinned widely, not particularly minding the less than enthused reaction from his friend. He was used to that from Harry.

Things settled into a familiar routine, but Uma noticed immediately it wasn't quite the same. Harry would barely look at her, much less talk to her. He was cheerful enough with the others, but there was definitely tension between them. If any of the others noticed, they were smart enough to not say anything.

It hurt that he was ignoring her but joking around with the others. Still, Uma let the distance stand without comment. She was just glad that he had come back at all. With how he had been talking, Uma was sure he wouldn't do even that much. Slowly, a bunch of the others started drifting out to go home or cause some sort of havoc. Uma didn't know what they were off to do, but then she didn't care too much so long as they followed the few guidelines that she had.

"Oh," Harry said after several hours. "By the way, Uma..."

Uma looked over from where she had been scrubbing a part of the counter. Harry savagely bit a piece of slightly rubbery but dried plantain and ripped it off the main part. "Re an' C.J. says if ya even cough wrong they'll be comin' ta visit," Harry said. Uma frowned, and Harry shrugged. "Ya got on their bad side." 

"They didn't want you to come, I guess?"

Harry shook his head and took another bite of his questionable plantain. "Nah, said it was stupid o' me," Harry said. "Bu' then I do lotsa stupid things."

"... we all do stupid things sometimes," Uma said.

Harry was quiet as he studied her face for a minute. Uma could almost see the gears in his head going. Finally, he got up from his seat. "Gil. Let's go!" Harry said before stuffing the last bit of food in his mouth.

Gil came trotting over. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Ta have fun," Harry said as he hooked his arm around Gil's shoulders. Uma usually would have gone with but decided to hang back and let her boys spend some time together. They could probably use it and she had been the one to ruin things.

Things weren't fixed yet. Uma didn't know how long it would take for their regular interactions to start happening again. Chances were it would be a while. Uma had really screwed up and once you lost something like trust here on the Isle... well, Uma wasn't going to hold her breath until it got back, that was for sure. Hopefully, it happened at some point, though. Having Harry acting so frosty towards her still hurt something fierce. She would just have to be patient. No matter how much she hated that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things stay turbulent between Harry and Uma for quite a while. Probably for a good couple months for them to be back to pretty much how they were at the beginning of D2. But they are at a tentative truce moment.


End file.
